5.1 Theoretical implications
This thesis combines theories and approaches from wide range of research. The theo-retical implications of this thesis are to fill the gap of impaired research of customer ex-perience management in b2b-sector. Additionally, this thesis highlights the diversity of the theme of customer experience management, and which can be narrowed down to more detailed research streams.
As discussed on the literature review, the emotional experience of the customer is iden-tified as a critical factor to overall customer experience in b2b-business. The uniqueness and memorability of customer experience as an important factor is highlighted e.g., Pine and Gilmore (1998) and Holma et al. (2021). However, the findings from this case study challenges this perspective. According to interviewees, instead of unique and memora-ble experience the customers are expecting the most standard and inconspicuous ser-vice from the case company. Although, as Rychalski & Hudson (2017) and Holma et. al.
(2021) states, the missing research of emotions effect in utilitarian services experiences it can be stated that emotions are influencing in any setting of service and customer experience, the meaning of the emotions is already identified in b2b business and utili-tarian services. This discrepancy is an interesting finding and supports that the customer experience character in b2b-business still contains gaps in research.
The most important customer experience touchpoints from the value proposition per-spective should be defined and focus on that (Becker & Jaakkola, 2020). When discussing of big data analysis in terms of customer experience management and measurement, it must be highlighted that the data itself is not creating any value for the companies. How-ever, collected data must be analyzed carefully and through those analysis the firm can find tools to support managerial decision-making through the data (Holmlund, 2020).
As identified form this study, managing customer experience is challenging since com-mon goals and measures are missing. If the company is not aware of where and when the customer experience takes place, it is impossible to manage it. This point of view is
supported by e.g. Sumathisiri (2012), who states that at the core of the customer expe-rience management is the organizational expeexpe-rience that defines value for customer and employee. This requires that employees understand clearly what the goals are as well as the limitations and receive trust to implement the service on their own from the super-visors and form the company Holma (2021) states.
The findings exposed the missing consistent strategy related to customer experience management as a challenge in the case company. This point of view is broadly supported in the previous research e.g., Sumathisiri (20212); Holma et al. (2021). Similarly, the re-markable point of view is that even though dynamic capabilities enables to reach com-petitive advantage, they are not providing sustainable source of survival (Cepeda and Vera (2007); Zahra et al. (2006)).
5.2 Managerial implications
This thesis and findings from the single case study provides some managerial implica-tions. First, it highlights the importance of customer experience management regard-less of industry. Customer experience management is not important only in experiential industries but in indistinguishable industries as well. Understanding the nature of cus-tomers’ needs and expectations the company can create customer experience that fits into its customers. The important point of view is to understand that asking customer and other important stakeholders nearby the customer is the only way to understand the actual needs and expectations.
Secondly, this thesis provides understanding of strategically managed customer experi-ence and its evolution. As discussed in theoretical framework and pointed out from the findings from the case company, customer experience must be managed by through the strategy and executive team. Even though the capable employees can create excellent customer experience through their own actions and even develop the strategy for that, the customer experience should be managed in a congruent way across the organization.
The nature of the customer experience is complex to catch since it is based on emotions
and individual expectations of individuals. For this reason, it requires consistency and congruent management and following from the management to turn customer experi-ence management from dynamic capability to company’s strategic capability and routine.
Strategically managed customer experience requires commitment from the top manage-ment, and it should be part of the organizational culture.
5.3 Suggestion for further research
The theme of customer experience management is broad and gathering more attention continuously. This topic permits multiple approaches for further research, in the field of quantitative and qualitative research. Additionally, the interesting theme for the further research is to create understanding of how customer experience management as a com-pany’s strength can progress from dynamic capability; learning and change, to strategic capability; routines and regularization of knowledge.
This research outcomes are based on the case company’s own opinions and point of view of the customer experience management. While discussing of management it is reason-able to start the discussion from inside-out. For further research it would be interesting and beneficial to ask the case company customers how they identify their customer ex-perience related to the case company. Furthermore, the different customer segments of the case company should be identified and to analyze separately to create understanding of the characteristic customer experience elements of each segment. Additionally, the question of customer expectation in the industry of equipment rental and related ser-vices is a potential topic for further research.
5.4 Limitations
This study is discussing the theme of customer experience management from broad and general perspective. The research is limited to single case company and limited group of people in sales and executive team inside the case company. Although the interviewee group was diverse, it is not necessary that these findings and perspectives can be
generalized to everyone in the company. In addition, the findings from this research are not straightforwardly generalized to other companies or industries since customer expe-rience and strategy are unique and non-imitable resources of each company.
This thesis is conducted during the years 2021 and 2022. Understanding the continu-ously changing environment is critical while reading this thesis. What is essential at the time of publication of this thesis, might be outdated or changed over time. However, this research can be used as a source to highlight the common importance of customer ex-perience management for the companies and to explore strategic customer exex-perience management theme to be refined to different companies and contexts.